Apparatus for sterilizing containers



Sept. 17, 1935. STEGEMANN 2,014,750

vAPPARATUS FOR STERILIZING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 29, 1932 3'Sheets-Sheet1 Sept. 17, 1935. F. STEGEMANN 2,014,750

APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet2 34 3 4, a, v D 4 4'1 18 31 19 27 5 33' 21 l u- 2 12, r 15 Filed Dec.29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 K14 If Patented Sept. 17, 1935' UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ArrARA'rUs roa srnamzmc CONTAINERS Application December29, 1932, Serial No. 649,386 In Germany February 10, 1932 9 Claims.

The filling of bottles with liquid and subsequently the closing of thesame by means of individual machines which however are interconnected bymeans of a conveyor arrangement so that an associated automatic orsemi-automatic aggregate is obtained, is known. Nevertheless in theaggregates so formed the bottles are filled without attention beinggiven to the sterile mode of operation.

According to the method constituting the subject of the presentinvention the aggregate known per se is to be used for the sterilefilling and sterile closing of bottles with corresponding individualmachines converted for sterile operation and if necessary also aconveyor arrangement adapted for ensuring the maintenance of the sterilecondition. As with the present state of the art, the bottles coming fromthe cleaning machine are not sterile. According to the present processan automatic or semi-automatic sterilizer is provided in front of thefilling machine in association with the conveyor or incorporated withthe conveyor arrangement between the cleaning machine. and the fillingmachine. In carrying out the process, this sterilizer may be the laststation of the cleaning machine or the first preliminary treatingstation of the filling machine or the bottles on the conveyorarrangement between the cleaning machine and the filling machine may besubjected to the sterilization by an auxiliary sterilizing apparatusduring the conveyance on the conveyor arrangement. In.- .order to carryout the sterile treatment of the bottles up to the closure of'the same,in further development of the method, the filler associated with theaggregate and subsequently the closure machine are also constructed forsterile opera.- tion. A further improvement of the aggregate is affordedin that parts of the conveyor arbe applied on a large scale. Materialadvantages are thereby aiiorded to large branches of industry. Thus forexample in the manufacture of beverages from fresh fruit juices it ismade possible to fill the fruit or grape juices free from bacteria intobottles, unfermented and sterile. Here the sterile operation is ofgreatest importanceasotherwise in the case of a treatment which is notfree from bacteria, the juices ferment 6- whereas with perfect sterilefilling they last without limit. Hitherto the filling of these juices ona. large scale has not been possible in the absence of suitable machinesand thus the turnover of this beverage which is important from the point10 of view of economics has been small. Alsothe present process affordsimportant possibilities to the brewery, thereby altering fundamentallythe handling of bottled beer. Hitherto the beer has been renderedsterile by heating in the bottles for attaining the property of keepingfor protracted periods (export beer) In this way important nutrimentmaterials were destroyed and thefiavour of the beverage was altered inan unfavourable manner. Since a recent filtration method makes itpossible to sterilize the beer in the cold, the large scale industry haslacked suit-.

able arrangements for filling the beer ,in a sterile manner into sterilebottles.

The present process also renders this possible. However not onlybeverages but all other liquids which have to be filled into vessels ina-sterile manner can be handled with the plant according to the presentprocess.

The process of sterilization of the vessels is carried out in suchmanner that the vessels are continuously sterilized and thesterilization me-, dium is completely removed from the vessel aftera'more or less long period of operation. In particular a gas is used.for sterilization and after its action on the inner walls of thebottle'ls driven out by another gas which is neutral and .is free frombacterial. The bottles pass through as their motion or in the oppositedirection.

If sulphurous acid or the like is used as sterilization agent theneither moist air can be added for attaining a. better effect or else,and this appears more simple, the sulphurous acid is passed directlythrough water. Thereby the sulphurous 0 acid vapours carry waterparticles along with them or take up water vapour and thus conveywiththem into the vessel to be treated the moisture which is requisitefor sterilization.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a completecleaning, sterilizing, filling and closure applying aggregate withautomatic charging of the cleaning machine and with circular sterilizerand Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically an equivalent aggregate withsemi-automatic cleaning machineand longitudinally extending sterilizer.Figs. 3 to '7 show arrangements for sterilizing the vessels or bottles.Fig. 3 is a section through an embodiment of the entire apparatus. Fig.4 shows the connection of the individual inlet'valves in a modifiedform. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through an inlet'valve or inletsocket of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 in the filling position. Fig. 6shows a section through the corresponding distributing apparatus of thearrangement. Fig. 7 shows an arrangement for moistening with water thesulphurous acid which is to be used as sterilizing medium.

The cleaning machine I, Fig. l, transfers the bottles automatically tothe band conveyor 2.

From this the cleaned bottles first pass to the sterilizer 3 in which ifdesired the sterilizing medium is again removed in a sterile fashion.Then the bottles pass over the conveyor band 2 to the sterile filler 4,then back to the conveyor band 2 and on to the sterile closure applyingmachine 5 andthen back again to the conveyorband 2.

Even if a sterilizing station is incorporated therewith the cleaningmachine need not operate automatically with delivery from and to theconveyor band for carrying out the present process. It is sufiicient .ifas shown in Fig. 2 the bottles or vessels are placed on the conveyor 2manually. In Fig. 2 thesterilizer is shown as a longitudinally extendingmachine 5 which passes the bottles directly to the sterile fillingmachine 4. In this case the sterilizer itself constitutes the conveyorbringing the bottlesto the filling station. The filling machine couldalso work directly with the closure applying machine in a similar way.

However in order'to extend the process also to those closures whichcannot be closed by machines, e. g., yoke closures, it is not necessaryto include the closure machine in the aggregate.

The particular construction of sterilizer shown in Fig. 3 has astationary pedestal 1 on which is mounted the rotary tablet whichcarries the cylinders 3 actuated in known manner by compressed airforiifting the plates ll supporting the bottles II. The table 3 carriesa pillar l2 which has at the top a plate l3 carrying the individualinlet sockets l4. In the centre of the column I2 is a stationary tube l5about which is disposed a double stuffing box It which is connected bymeans of the tube [1 with the annular space H which is connected withthe individual lifting lcylinders 3. Compressed air is introduced intothe centre of the tube II by the tube ll.

Each inlet socket l4 has a valve I! which seats against the sealingsurface 23. Secured to this valve is the blower pipe 2| which dips intothe bottle II, and is rigidly secured to the sleeve 22 and passesthrough the funnel 23 for centering the bottle. The sleeve 22 carries atthe top a sealins surface 24 and the centering funnel has a sealingsurface 23. The sleeve 22 is connected with a pipe 21 by way of anon-return valve 23, the pipe 21 leading to a distributor 23. The tube21 is resiliently yielding so that under the pressure of the centeringfunnel 23, the sleeve 22 can move upwardly somewhat so that itssealingsurface 24 abuts against the seating 23 of the inlet socket II. In thisway a seal is provided between socket l4 and sleeve 22 and at the sametime a'seal with respect to the centering funnel 23 is furnished at 25so that the gas penetrating into the inlet socket l4 through the pipe 30when the valve I3 is raised, must pass into the blower pipe 2| throughthe lateral aperture 3| therein without being able to escape into theouter air. This arrangement is provided at each of the inlet sockets l4.

The pipes 21 from the sleeves 22 lead to the chamber 32 of thedistributor 28 which is con- 1 nected with the outer atmosphere by wayof a tube 33, if necessary by way of a filter.

The pipes 30 from the inlet sockets I4 are secured to the rotary head 34of the distributor in which is disposed the fixed cone 35 which has 11three bores. One bore connects with the pipe 33 already mentioned;another bore is connected with a pipe 36 by means of which thesterilizing medium is introduced into the device. The third boreconnects with a tube 31 through which a gas, 2 such as air free frombacteria, is introduced for washing the sterilizing medium out of thebottles. In the rotation of the head, the apertures of the tubes 30 inthe rotary head 34 of the distrlbutor 28 pass in the correspondingpositions 2 over recesses 33 and 39 in the stationary head 35 which inturn are connected with the pipes 36 and 31, Fig. 6. In this way firstthe sterilizing medium and then the gas (sterile air) serving forwashing out the sterilizing medium are di- 3 rected in succession intothe pipes 30. It is however also possible to introduce the sterilizingmedium in such way that for a short time it is blown into the bottle andthen left in the bottle without further supply of sterilizing medium ora with a reduced supply before the scavenging agent drives thesterilizing medium out of the bottle again.

The rotary part of the distributor 28 is sealed relatively to thestationary part 33 by means of 4 the stufling box 43, an annular chamber4| being provided on the cone 35 and being connected by way of the bore42 with the pipe 33 leading to the outer atmosphere. In this-way anysterilizing gas which passes between the sealing surfaces 4 of the headand the cone 33 is prevented from exerting a pressure against thestufllng box 43. This gas is led into the outer atmosphere from thechamber 4| by way of the aperture 42 and the pipe 43.

The mode of operation of the arrangement is as follows:

The table I and with it the pillar l2 and the distributing sockets 14secured thereon are rotated. The bottles to besterilized are positionedI in known manner on the plates ll of the lifting cylinders and then atthe appropriate position are lifted by the lifting pistons so that theblower pipe 2| dips into the appropriate bottle. The centering fimnel 23has already brought the bottle into the correct position and seals it atthe top. At the same time by pressing the bottle against the centeringfunnel the blower pipe 2| is lifted so that the seal 23 of the funnel 23abuts against the lower part of the sleeve 22 and this with its sealingsurface 24 abuts against the seating 23 of the distributing socket l4.In addition the valve II is raised from its seatinl 20 against theaction of a superimposed spring. In the meantime the tube 33 of thecorresponding inlet socket has arrived at the groove 33 of the cone 3'so that the sterilizing medium now passes through the tube 33 into thetube 33 and thus into the inlet socket l4. As the valve llisopenthegaspassesthromhtheborefl into the blower pipe 2| and thus intothe bottle l9. It flows through the bottle and can escape therefromthrough the annular space 43 which is provided between the bore of thecentering funnel 23 and theblower pipe 2|. The sterilizing gas thenpasses into the sleeve 22 and opens the nonreturn valve 26 so that itcan pass through the pipe 21 into the chamber 32 of the distributor andthence through the pipe 33 into the outer atmosphere.

In the meantime in the further motion of the entire table theappropriate tube 30 has left the groove 38 of the cone .35 and itremains closed until it comes in fornt of the groove 39 ot thedistributor cone 35, Fig. 6, which groove is connected 'with the pipe31. The scavenging gas, which may be air which has been rendered freeirom bacteria, now passes through the pipe 31 into the tube 30 and thusin-the same way into the blower pipe 2| whereby this air washes thesterilizing medium out of the bottle Ill, said medium escaping into theouter atmosphere by way of the non-return valve 26 and the pipe 21 as'well as the chamber 32 and the pipe 33.

The space between the groove 38 and the groove 39 is so dimensioned thatthe sterilizing medium remains for a predetermined period in the bottleand thus kills all the germs or bacteria contained therein.

The same operation is repeated for each individual bottle. The bottlesthen leave the device completely sterilized and freed from thesterilizing medium wholly or only in part and can be directlytransferred to the filling and closing appliances, which if desired maybe connected with the arrangement by some suitable conveyor arrangement.Also the filling members could be in- 1 corporated in the sterilizingdevice after the sterilizing members so that. the filling of the bottleswith liquid is eiiected in the same apparatus.

As soon as the bottles are removedfrom the machine after lowering theplates II, the centering funnel 23 again moves downwardly and the valvel9 closes under the action of its spring, so that no gas can escape intothe outer atmosphere should the inlet socket perform the next cycle inthe absence of a bottle.

In the embodiment of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4,' substantially thesame arrangement is provided, but in this, case the sterilizing gasemerging from a bottle does not pass into the outer atmosphere directlybut into the preceding bottle before it passes to the outlet so that thesame gas passes through the individual bottles in succession. In orderto attain this, every sleeve 22 is connected with the inlet socket l4for the nextbottle above the non-return valve 23 by means of a flexiblepipe 44. The valve l9 of each socket is in addition constructed as adouble valve so that at the top a valve face 52 can also close theaperture of the pipe 45 connected thereto. The pipe 45 leads to the nextpipe 30' and serves as a bridging conduit in the event of no bottlebeing positioned on the plate in which case the valve l9 correspondinglyseals its-lower seating. In this construction the pipe 21, Fig. 3, is nolonger necessary and is omitted. In Fig. 4 the bottle is missing fromthe position 11 and accordingly the centering funnel 23 is at the bottomof the blower pipe 2|. The sterillizing gas thus passes from the groove33 of the cone 35 Fig. 6 through the pipe 33' into the in-'- let socketM for the met bottle, position I, and. as the valve I9 is open at thebottom, the gas passes into the bottle and subsequently through thesleeve 22 by way of the ball valve 23 through the pipe 44 into the nextinlet socket l4, position II. As there is no bottle here, the valve I9of this socket is closed at the bottom but at the top the aperture ofthe bridging pipe 45 is exposed so that the' gas can now flow directlythrough this pipe into the pipe 30' of the third inlet socket l4,position 111, and so on through each bottle to the subsequent bottle.

In this construction two further grooves 46 and 41, Fig. 6, are providedon the fixed cone 35 of the distributor 23 which connect thecorresponding pipes 30 with the chamber 32 and thus by way of the pipe33 with the outer atmosphere. Thus the gas passes through the bottles inpositions I and III and then passes through the corresponding tube 39'and to groove 36 by way of the pipe 33 into the outer atmosphere.

In the next position IV the pipe 39 is connected with the groove 39 sothat the scavenging air now passes through the bottle through the pipe30', and then at 41 back into the chamber 32 and from thence by way of33 into the outer atmosphere. The spacing of the grooves 33, 46, 25 39and 41 is correspondingly chosen in order to be able to make the periodof operation of the sterilizing medium and the period of scavengingshorter or longerin accordance with the desired relationships.

In the example shown the sterilizing medium and the scavenging mediumflow through the bottles in the same direction as the bottles movethrough the apparatus. One or both media however could be directedthroughthe bottles in counter-current to this direction of motion.

In some circumstances, for the purpose of increasing the effect. of thesterilizing medium, air and particularly moist air can be admixedtherewith.

The process can be used not only for bottles but also for vessels of anykind. It is not limited to gaseous sterilizing media.

An arrangement is shown in Fig. 7 which serves for moistening thesterilizing medium with wa- 45 ter or with any other liquid exerting afavourable influence on the sterilization.

The container 49 provided with two covers 48 is constructed as a glasscylinder. It is half filled with water or H2303. The S0: gas is 50introduced through thepipeill which extends almost down to the bottom ofthe container. It passes through the water, collects in the upper partof the container and flows out of the container through the pipe 5|'into the vessels to be'sterilized. The pipe- SI of Fig. 7 is connectedwith the tube 36 of Fig. 3. In the passage through the water it takes upso much moisture that the effect of the sterilization is materiallyimproved.

Instead of making the container wholly of glass it may of course be madeonly in part of transparent material or provided with a suitable windowor equipped with a device for indicating the liquid level.

tunnel and a blower pipe, a sl v arranged on said nozzle between saidsocket and said funnel, said sleeve being displaceable with the blowerpipe and being equipped with sealing surfaces to engage the inlet socketand centering funnel, and a conduit having a non-return valve connectingthe sleeve with the outer atmosphere.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet nozzle has aninlet socket, a centering funnel and a blower pipe, a sleeve arranged onsaid nozzle between said socket and said funnel,

said sleeve being displaceable with the blower pipe and being equippedwith sealing surfaces to engage the inlet socket and centering funnel,and a conduit having a non-return valve connecting the sleeve with theouter atmosphere, the blower pipe having a head serving as a closurevalve of the inlet socket, said valve being lifted by pressure of thevessel urged against the blower pipe.

4. In apparatus for sterilizing vessels, centering funnels, a rotatabletable having lifting members for urging the vessels against thecentering funnels, inlet sockets each having a valve disposed above eachcentering funnel, sleeves arranged between said socket and funnels andattached to blower pipes, a source of gaseous sterilizing fluid, asource of sterile compressed air, a distributor for connecting saidsockets with said sources in succession, said distributor having achamber, and conduits connecting each of said sleeves with said chamberand means for discharging waste gas to the outside atmosphere.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the distributor'comprises astationary cone on which seats a head rotatable with the table andserving as a housing, the conduits leading to the inlet sockets beingconnected with, said housing, the ends of said conduits terminatingadjacent grooves in the cone, said grooves being connected by conduitswith the source of gaseous sterilizing fluid and with the source ofcompressed sterile air.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the distributor comprises astationary cone on which seats a head rotatable with the table andserving as a housing, the conduits leading to the inlet sockets beingconnected with said housing,

the ends of said conduits terminating adjacent grooves in the cone, saidgrooves being connected by conduits with the source of gaseoussterllizing fluid and with the source of, compressed sterile air, saiddistributor cone fitting said housing with fluid sealing surfaces, thecone being provided with a recess for collecting gas passing the sealingsurfaces.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the distributor comprises astationary cone on which seats a head rotatable with the table andserving as a housing, the conduits leading to the inlet sockets beingconnected with said housing, the ends of said conduits terminatingadjacent grooves in the cone, said grooves being connected by conduitswith the source of gaseour. sterilizing fluid and with the source ofcompressed sterile air, said distributor cone fitting said housing withfluid sealing surfaces, the cone being provided with a recess forcollecting gas passing the sealing surfaces, and a tube leading to saiddistributor, some of said conduits being disposed in said tube, saidtube being connected with conduits for supplying compressed air to thelifting members.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of said inletnozzles are provided, said nozzles being connected by means of abridging conduit with a sterilizing fluid supply conduit to thefollowing inlet nozzle, said bridging conduit being opened and closed bymeans of a valve according to whether a vessel is missing or is presentbeneath the corresponding inlet nozzle.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of said inletnozzles are provided, said nozzles being connected by, means of abridging conduit with a' sterilizing fluid supply conduit to thefollowing inlet nozzle, said bridgpipe of the inlet nozzle.

. FRIEDRICH smamnn.

